Branching Out bags £4000 Grant

Community Options is delighted to announce it has bagged £4000 from Tesco’s Bags of Help community grant scheme!

Bags of Help is run in partnership with environmental charity Groundwork, and sees grants raised from the sale of carrier bags awarded to thousands of local community projects every year. Since launching in 2015, it’s provided more than £40 million to over 9,700 local community projects.

Millions of shoppers have voted in Tesco stores up and down the country and it can now be revealed Community Options – Branching Out project has been awarded £4000.

The Branching Out Horticulture Project works with volunteers with lived experience of mental ill-health by providing gardening services around the Borough of Bromley. Taking part helps build individuals confidence and self-esteem as well a providing an opportunity to learn some tangible and transferable work skills.

“This is a fantastic amount of money to be awarded. It means that the Branching Out Project can now purchase and site a greenhouse and cabin at one of our Residential Care Homes and have a permanent base from which to work all year round. Myself and the Branching Out team are absolutely thrilled. Thank you Tesco’s and thank you Tesco shoppers in Bromley for choosing us!”

Alec Brown, Tesco’s Head of Community, said:

“Bags of Help has been a fantastic success and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers. It’s such a special scheme because it’s local people who decide how the money will be spent in their community. We can’t wait to see the projects come to life.”

Voting ran in stores throughout September and October with customers choosing which local project they would like to get the top award using a token given to them at the checkout.

Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups each time they shop. Every other month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions are awarded funding.

Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said:

“Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down the UK to improve the local spaces and places that matter to them. The diversity of projects that are being funded shows that local communities have a passion to create something great in their area. We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”